1949 Champions Cup

The 1949 Champions Cup was the 3rd official Champions Cup game, the deciding game(s) of the NERC season. This installment was played between the Buffalo Panthers and The Bronx Bears, two teams looking to win their first title. The Panthers played in the 1948 installment, but fell to the Boston Riders.

The Panthers, despite being held close for most of the game, pulled away in the fourth quarter to claim their first Champions Cup title.

Opening
While it was a little on the hot side temperature-wise, the skies were clear and there was a cool wind blowing from the Atlantic on New York Runty Park. On one side of the field were the 11-0-1 Buffalo Panthers, looking to become the first professional runty team to go undefeated throughout a full season. On the other were the Bronx Bears, playing their first Champions Cup game and looking to play spoiler on the Panthers. As the game was played in New York, there were many more Bears supporters than Panthers supporters.

First Quarter
The pace to start was actually pretty conservative, as the two teams attempted to see through each other’s strategies. Despite this, they exchanged points within the first three minutes, and Ray Paul kicked a goal a minute later, off a beautiful shot from 25 yards out. Defense prevailed for the next chunk of time, with neither team getting any great chances. Eventually, after the halfway point of the quarter, the pace would increase. Both teams had some great looks, though all they could muster was a point each. Off the jump-ball after the last point, Nestor Wright recovered the ball for Buffalo, brought the ball up the field, and was fouled in the penalty arc, drawing a penalty shot. He easily converted to put the Panthers up by two goals, and that lead would remain until the end of the quarter.

AFTER 1: The Bronx 2-10 Buffalo

Second Quarter
The second half started on a bizarre note, as just a few seconds in, a high-arching kick by Christian Charpentier was aided by a strong wind, going just wide of the net for a point. The shot came from inside his own half. Over the next 4 minutes, the two teams exchanged points once more, making it 12-3 for the Panthers. The Bears controlled the ball for almost all of the remainder of the quarter. However the Panthers defense showed why they were the best backline in the league, as the Bears could get barely anything through. When the Bears did manage to get into the penalty arc, they were quickly smothered by 2 or 3 players, and gave up the ball. All the Bronx could manage were long shots, most of which were inaccurate. In the 19 minutes after Buffalo’s last point, all the Bears could manage with their constant rushes were two points. As the half drew to a close, the neutral supporters at the NYRP gave the Panthers defense a standing ovation, as they still had a multiple-possession lead despite the constant pressure from the Bears.

AT THE HALF: The Bronx 5-12 Buffalo

Third Quarter
Bears coach Ron Murphy, known across the NERC as a “Perennial Optimist” gave words of encouragement to the Bears at halftime, telling them not to give up hope. This seemed to work, as 3:18 into the third quarter, Cedric Ekling finally gave the Bears their first goal of the game. The Panthers got a point back, then the offense exploded. In 3:01 of play, Benoit Peak and Calvin Bernard both scored to put the Bears up 17-13, then Charpentier deflected in a cross from Artie Booth to tie the game back up. The Panthers added a point to take the lead again, and there was a short dry spell with no real chances. The action would ramp back up before the end of the quarter, as Charpentier kicked home a rebound for his second of the game, a stat unheard of for a fullback. The Bears, knowing that another Panthers goal would be game over, controlled the ball for the remainder of the quarter, and were rewarded with a goal from RU Jim McConnell, who just punched a shot over the goal line. This brought the Bears within 1, setting the stage for a nail-biting fourth quarter.

AFTER 3: The Bronx 21-22 Buffalo

Fourth Quarter
The Bears won the jump-ball to start the fourth, so they took their time to make sure they had the best chance of getting a score to tie or take the lead. They made it to the penalty arc and were inches away from taking the lead. However, the shot from Bernard just ticked off the post before going in, resulting in a point instead of a goal. The game was now tied at 22, and neither team wanted to make a mistake, resulting in a stalemate. The two teams tried to take rushes, but the other wouldn’t budge. Eventually, with 9:23 to play, Buffalo’s Allen Formock took a shot from a tight angle that froze McConnell, giving the Panthers the decisive go-ahead goal. This was a dagger to the Bears, and they just collapsed after. The Panthers would get the ball right back, and on their next rush, Michael Anthony acrobatically beat McConnell, effectively sealing the game. The Panthers, showing no mercy, would score twice more on their next two rushes, taking a 16-point lead with 6:12 left in the game. The Bears had pretty much already accepted defeat, and didn’t do much to get back in the game. As the final whistle blew, the Panthers ran down to where their loud and proud supporters were, celebrating the culmination of their historic season with them. Of the 13 games the Panthers played, they won twelve, and drew one. In those games, they scored 369 points and allowed only 223. It was a season for the record books, one nobody in the city of Buffalo would ever forget, one they would recount to their children and grandchildren.

FINAL SCORE: The Bronx 22-38 Buffalo